Distribution and diversity assessment of the marine macroalgae at four southern districts of Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

Present paper consists study on macroalgae seaweeds from Southern districts of Tamil Nadu <i>viz., </i>Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Tuticorin and Ramanathapuram. In total 57 taxa belonging to 37 genera representing Chlorophyta (18 taxa), Ochrophyta (14 taxa) and Rhodophyta (25 taxa) were recorded from 19 sampling sites during our study period (June 2009 to June 2010). Species wise, higher number of algae was recorded from Idinthakarai (84.21%). <i>Gracilaria corticata </i>has been distributed in 10 localities (= 52.63%). Among various localities, maximum (59%) and minimum (1%) species were recorded from Idinthakarai (Tirunelveli district) and Keelvaipaar (Tuticorin), respectively which situated in Bay of Bengal. Higher number of algae was recorded from the Bay of Bengal (67.7%) followed by Indian Ocean (25%) and Arabian Sea coasts (8%). <i>Caulerpa cupressoides, Caulerpa veravalensis, Chaetomorpha crassa, Galoxaura marginata, Hormophysa triquetra </i>and <i>Spyridia asperum </i>were recorded for first time from Tamil Nadu. This study contributes to the inshore marine macroalgae knowledge of these four coastal districts situated in Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea coasts and Bay of Bengal.